Up until the October 2011 launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S, Apple had a pattern of launching their new iPhones during the summer. The original iPhone, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4 all launched in June, while the iPhone 3G launched in July. The fall iPhone 4S launch broke the summer launch pattern, but some are thinking a fall iPhone launch was just a 2011-exclusive event. However, Japanese publication Macotakara reports that according to a “reliable source,” Apple will once again launch their new iPhone in the fall.

According to the report, Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone will launch in either September or October 2012. This would form a new pattern for iPhone launch timeframes, something that benefited Apple and its Q1 2012 results. Apple sold a whopping 37 million iPhones in that quarter, a number not only boosted due to the new iPhone sales rush, but also because of the holiday shopping season. The next-generation iPhone has been rumored to sport a completely new form-factor, and sources are pointing to a four inch display and thinner profile.